Tuesday, November 30, 2010

The day after Thanksgiving Elora asked to share a song she said she had made up and written in her journal. So I quickly got out my camera. What I didn't realize til it was almost over...she had McKenzie and Hailey off to the side doing the swaying "Supreme" thing.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

After saying Goodbye to McKenzie, who she had been staying with for the past week....

Den and I brought Hailey back to her Grammy Carol,

after church today.

With her dog, Heather, in tow, we made the 1 1/2 hour drive to Turlock, while Grammy made the 2 hour trip from Roseville to Turlock.(in other words we met halfway)

Hailey talked to us pretty much non stop while she drew her pictures.

She told me about the great recipe her Dad has for split pea soup and how I should text him for it.

Hailey asked me if I was her Great Aunt. I told her since I am her Papa's sister, that yes, I am her Great Aunt. She wanted to know if that was sort of like a Grandma. I told her YES, most definitely. I want her to feel that way.

Hailey said she likes to pretend Heather the dog is her little sister.

"When I grow up I want to be a veterinarian and an artist."

"You have got to try Grammy's recipe for Cranberry Cider."
(and then proceeds to tell me how to make it)

Suddenly she thinks she spots Grammy's car!

She was so excited she could not get out of the car fast enough!

Oh the reunion with her Grammy was so so sweet!

Hailey told me I could put her drawings today on my blog, so here they are:

"I have the art work of my Mom." she proudly told us.

Sometimes I just have to go back in time and look at these happy pictures.

It's been 2 1/2 years since her Mom has been gone. As Hailey gets older I see more and more of Robin in her. Her art abilities, the articulate and detailed way she explains things, her chattiness, even her talk about recipes. I can't help but believe Robin stays close by...especially to her Hailey.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Not the homework part, but the cold part. There was much bundling up going on in our house. It wasn't until they all left that I realized everyone must have been cold. I am so so sorry I did not turn up the heat.

Before I go on I have to tell you about these olives.

Thanksgiving morn, Den was going to the store anyway so I asked him to get me a flat of olives or more, so we could take advantage of the cheap holiday price. When I looked in his bag I said, "What?? Only 4 cans?"His response?, "I want to leave some for the other customers who will come in today."

He's a good man. I wouldn't have thought of that.

We saw lots of hand holding.

And thanks to a post recently by Grandmother Fairy, I feel differently about paper plates and company now.

(I used them occasionally before her post, but now I'm guilt free.)

The girls made amazing food and I wish I had thought to take pictures of all of it.

But I did capture Karen's relish plate!

McKenna and Karen scouting out the ads.

While their husbands were making other plans.

Little Téa stayed close to Mommy.

She wasn't sure about all the extra people.

Don't let the pictures below alarm you.

Hailey is just telling Elora a story, complete with theatrics.

I WON chocolate chip cookies from this great blog. I saved them so I could impress my kids!

A surprise visitor, Karen Mortensen, loving on Cami.

Dad and Susan stopped by on their way back from yet another cruise!

Lots of good times!

McKay and Tyler saying, "Here's to our mother, and our birth!"

The hardest part is saying goodbye because I really don't know when I will see them again.

THANK YOU for making the 24 hour round trip from Provo to California.

I really am sorry our house was cold. I will do better next winter.

Good bye Pilgrims.

You have been with us since August, but the time has come to put you back in your styrofoam for another 9 months. You all scared Jonas, so he will be happy to come to Grandma Honey's next week and find you're all gone. (The Pilgrims I mean, he loved the extra aunts and uncles.)

"Charity is accepting someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn't handle something the way we might have hoped...The best and most clear indicator that we are progressing spiritually and coming unto Christ is the way we treat other people..."-Marvin J. Ashton